Storage bins are commonly used for storing particulate material therein, for example grain and the like. Storage bins of this type generally have a circular bin floor with a cylindrical bin wall extending upwardly from the floor. Typically a door is provided spanning an inner side of a door opening in the bin wall to provide access to the bin when empty. Gates are known to be provided in the door panel or bin wall to provide access to unload the grain from one side of the bin. An external hopper is typically required in this instance to collect the grain spilling outwardly from the grain bin during unloading for collection by a suitable unloading auger.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,859 by Epp et al. discloses one example of an unloading chute to assist in unloading a storage bin in which the chute comprises chute walls formed integrally with a door panel to extend inwardly into the interior of the storage bin to provide access for a conventional unloading auger to be inserted into the chute for unloading the bin. The resulting construction of the chute protrudes into the bin and can therefore interfere with unloading equipment including sweep augers and the like which may be installed in the bin. The chute also occupies internal storage space inside the bin.